Underneath the Underneath
by AliceCambio
Summary: This is a story about Sakura's use of Kakashi's golden rule, and what she discovers about her former teacher as a result. Adult situations, Lemon in future, takes place after the end of Naruto.
1. Chapter 1

Underneath the Underneath

A story about Kakashi and Sakura's relationship, and the different ways she sees her former sensei. Takes place after the end of the manga.

Author's Note: I have not fully read or watched all of Naruto, so my apologies if I am inaccurate in certain respects. I will do my best to become more accurate as time goes on.

Kakashi had taught them all some very important lessons, and one of the most lessons was to always look underneath the underneath. While the boys of Team Seven used this rule primarily in battles and in tense political situations, Sakura Haruno learned to use it in everyday life, and so she used it the most. She used it when she worked in the hospital, for one. Patients lied about their symptoms and the causes of their symptoms, how they or their children had been injured, and their ages... the list seemed to go on and on. Her fellow hospital staff lied too: they lied about their own tardiness, mistakes they made, policies they ignored... that list went on and on, too. In her short life, Sakura had learned that no one was truly honest, which was why being observant and looking underneath the underneath was imperative in life. She had also learned that looking underneath the underneath sometimes led to uncomfortable truths, like how much Sasuke loved Karin, and how much he did not love Sakura. The couple were not obvious about their relationship, but Sakura knew they had both been through many abuses under Orochimaru, and she knew how devoted Karin was to her former teammate. Sakura could also see how Sasuke cared for her and how much he valued Karin's loyalty, and while it hurt to see that Sasuke was happy with someone else, Sakura was happy to see him happy. But where did it leave her?

For a time, Sakura devoted herself to her work. She worked the maximum hours she was allowed to at the hospital, volunteered at clinics, and took many difficult and dangerous solo missions. The extra activity helped her distance herself from the problem, and work out her feelings. Sakura came to realize that she did not love Sasuke as she once had, and had not loved him in that way for a long time. She now felt love for him, but it was a familial love, not romantic. Sakura realized she did not romantically love any of the men her age; the civilians her age were either too afraid to talk to her or thought she was sexually repressed and needed to be dominated. The former were afraid of her strength and of the Hokage: she couldn't really blame them for that. The latter believed she secretly wanted to be dominated and thought she should be put in her place as a woman. She shut them down quickly when they approached her; she was not going to date some asshole. Sakura was not particularly panicked about the idea of finding the man who would eventually fill the role of her husband, but she was lonely at times and wanted companionship.

"Ino, I'm not sure about this. Do you really think it'll fit?" Sakura was finally succumbing to her best friend's insistence that they go out and have a little fun, but she was unsure of her friend's choice in dress for her. The dress was a dark, moss green with lighter green flecks, and seemed entirely too short for Sakura's tastes.

"Sakura, your shorts are shorter than that. Relax, this is our night for fun. Is this all the makeup you have? Jeez," Ino shook her head as she rummaged through Sakura's makeup drawer. Sakura rolled her eyes and sat on the seat of the toilet, wondering if she could get away with wearing her shorts under the dress without looking silly.

"Ino, my shorts cover my underwear. The dress is open at the bottom, remember?"

"Look, just put it on and see how it looks. If we have to, we'll put you in some spanks or something to protect your modesty, okay?" Ino changed out of her own clothes and started putting on her own dress for the evening.

Sakura rolled her eyes and quickly slipped out of her clothes and put the dress on. After a moment of adjustment, she realized the dress fit her quite well, and as long as she didn't bend at the hip to pick things up, no one would see between her legs.

"See? You look great! I think a touch of eye and lip makeup and you'll have guys lined up and drooling," Ino told her as she adjusted her midnight blue dress.

"Is going out for fun always about finding guys to drive crazy?"

Ino laughed. "Hell yeah, that's half the fun itself. You've gotten so boring!"

"I have not! I just don't see why going out and having fun should always have to cycle around attracting guys and messing with their heads. It's not fair to them, Ino."

"Firstly, most of the guys at these clubs are out for one night stands. Secondly, it's just for fun, Sakura. Lighten up, okay?"

"Okay. I'll try."

Ino turned to her friend, armed with lipstick, eyeliner, and mascara.

"You know I'm only doing this 'cause I care, right, Forehead?" Ino smirked at her friend-turned rival-turned back to friend.

"Yeah, and I am only putting up with it because I care, Pig."

Ino laughed. "Good. Now, put those heels on, and let's go!"

The club Ino had picked for the night was packed. Sakura saw a couple of people she knew, but most of the crowd seemed to be made up of strangers. She scooted closer to Ino, who rolled her eyes and grabbed Sakura's purse.

"Okay, Sakura. I didn't want to do this to you, but I guess I have to be mean for a bit. I'm putting condoms in your purse, just in case. Don't get too drunk, make sure to check every drink you have for drugs or anything else unwanted, and go have fun."

Ino pushed her away, into the writhing, wiggling throngs of people, and quickly joined Sai at the bar.

"Did you have to do it that way?" Sai asked her, not looking up from his sketch pad.

"Well, I didn't want to, but I also didn't want her to cling to me all night. She's slipping back into her shell again, and even I don't want that. We'll keep an eye on her for a couple of minutes, then go. I'm sure she'll be fine on her own."

Back in the crowd of people, Sakura was nervous, shaking a little. She wasn't used to this kind of situation, and she hated crowds: who knew what enemies could hide themselves so well in this mess of people? She made her way to the bar, and glared at Ino, who ignored her.

"Long Island, please."

The bartender looked at her I.D. long enough to see that it was an I.D. and made her the drink. "Careful, little lady," he said as he passed the drink to her. "Too many of these and some boy might try to take you somewhere you don't want to go. Plus, it could give you a nasty little hangover."

"Thanks, sir. I'll keep that in mind." Sakura picked up the drink and turned to say something to Ino about her attitude problem, but found strangers now occupied the space where she and Sai had sat. Nervousness welled up in her belly again, and she stayed where she was, drinking the Long Island and just watching the crowd. They seemed totally unafraid and uncaring that the next day may be a day of regrets from tonight's actions. As much as Sakura liked to drink and dance, she preferred to do both at house parties, with smaller groups of friends and music played at a much lower volume. As she drank, however, the music didn't seem as loud, the people more friendly, and the crowd less packed. After a moment, she stood… stumbling forward into the crowd and landing on her face. Trying to regain her composure and to ignore the laughter from some of the people around her, she quickly backed into a corner, and into a mildly surprised Kakashi Hatake.

"Sakura, what on earth are you doing here? Here, let me help you up." Kakashi pulled her up into the chair next to him, setting her neatly down. His one eye traveled over her briefly, slightly widening at the curve of her bottom and the roundness of her breasts momentarily, then settling on her face.

"Kakashi-sensei! I was… well, Ino left me here. She said it was gonna be a girl's night out, and then she put condoms in my bag and left me! She didn't even pay for my freaking' drink, can you believe that? And what are you doing here?"

"I was people-watching. There's been a series of issues where young girls get drugged and hurt by young men, and a few cases where young men find themselves without a wallet after being drugged themselves. I was asked to look into it. It seems, however, that this club doesn't have a problem with those kinds of criminals: the waitresses dump out the drinks that are drugged and the bartender replaces them with new ones. I was going to hang out a little longer, then head home for the night. What are you drinking, by the way? You seem tipsy."

"Oh. Just a Long Island Iced Tea. They're yummy. And I'm not that tipsy, I can hold liquor real well."

"…Right. Isn't a Long Island made with seven shots worth of alcohol?"

"I don't know, I just know they're good! What are you drinking?"

"Seltzer water." Kakashi looked at Sakura, who was teetering on the edge of her chair. "Sakura, be honest: do you like it here?"

"Not really. Too many crowds, too much noise. Too much-whoa!"

Kakashi slid forward and caught Sakura before she hit the floor again.

"Too much gravity in this room! Someone should fix that."

Kakashi sighed as he set her upright on her feet, trying to ignore the way her hips felt in his hands, warm and firm. He pulled his hands away from her body, and instead put one finger under her chin, making her look up at him.

"Let me take you home and help you out with your hangover in the morning."

"Well… I don't think I'll have a hangover, but I'll let you take me home."

Kakashi helped her through the crowd of people and out into the cold night air. Sakura shivered, thankful that Kakashi was moving with her, as he was always a quick traveler. Within five minutes, they were at his apartment door. She leaned against him as he unlocked the door and disabled his traps, smiling at him lightly. Once the door was open, he directed her to the couch and got a glass of water. While she drank the water, he closed the door and sat down in a chair opposite her.

"Kakashi-sensei, I have a question… Why didn't you ever settle down with anyone?"

"Well… it was never a consideration for me. I always assumed I was going to die in battle, or during a torture session by an overeager enemy. I've never even kept a consistent girlfriend, because I didn't want to leave someone to grieve me. Why?"

"I was just curious. See, I've been thinking about it, since Sasuke and Karin got engaged and all. And… I don't know. Maybe there's more alcohol in a Long Island than I thought."

"What do you mean by that, Sakura? Are you feeling sick?" He stood, reaching for her empty glass.

"No. Honestly, I've been a little lonely lately, and... I don't know. Do shinobi have to be confined to celibacy? Do they at least get to have sex?"

"…It depends on the shinobi, Sakura. I never intended to get married, but if I should gain the attention of the lady I like, perhaps she and I could work something out. Now, I'm going to get you a blanket and pillow, and you're going to sleep here tonight. In the morning, I can make you breakfast and send you on your way, okay?"

"Okay." Sakura was a little confused by the sudden change in conversation, but she was also tired. "Can I also borrow a t-shirt or something? This dress will end up bunched around my middle or something, if I sleep in it."

"Sure. I'll be right back."

While he was gone, Sakura stretched out on the couch, thinking about their conversation, and some observations she had made about Kakashi while he walked to her, both in the club and here in his apartment. He seemed nervous… no, cautious around her, as if he wasn't sure he could treat her the way he always did. Had something happened with him? Was he sick and trying to hide it? No, that wasn't right. He wasn't hiding symptoms. He seemed careful about where he put his hands, and about how he looked at her. Wait, he did look at her, and not in a fatherly or brotherly way… almost in the same way teenage boys saw their female peers the first time they noticed new body parts. And he pulled his hands away very quickly after he steadied her in the club.

"Here's the t-shirt. Why don't you go to the bathroom and change, and I will lay out the blanket for you."

"Thank you, sensei."

When Sakura returned, she did so carefully, watching him. While they made small talk, she noted that he looked a couple of times, very quickly, at her bare legs. He also pulled the blanket up so it covered her, saying he wanted to make sure she was warm. He was still moving carefully around her. She decided she had to make one final observation before she could be sure of what she was seeing.

"Thank you for being so kind, sensei. You know, I wish I could find a man like you, even if he just wants to have sex once in a while. At least I know he would be considerate. Hey, wouldn't it be funny if _we_ ended up together or something? What a hoot that would be, ha!"

Kakashi didn't say anything at first, just looked down at her with a carefully blank eye.

"Well, I'm going to bed, Sakura. It's been a long day for me. Sleep well."

"You too, sensei." Sakura chirped, turning over as she did so. Lying there in silence for a while, she pondered the observations she had made about her sensei. Even under the influence, she felt her shinobi senses tingling, she could feel that she was onto something. Underneath the underneath, Kakashi Hatake was attracted to her. But what would she do about it? Yes, he was a handsome man, and loyal, and caring. He was also known for reading pornographic novels in public, was chronically late to almost everything, and tended to be evasive when the topic of conversation became uncomfortable for him. Still, he was attracted to her. What could she make of that?


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Sakura woke early, her bladder demanding a trip to the bathroom. After she finished her business, she stepped out into the hall and gave herself time to wake up. She wasn't hung over, thankfully, but she hadn't slept well in the night. She kept thinking about the behaviors her former sensei exhibited the night before. She wasn't upset by the way he treated her; as always, he was a perfect gentleman. It was the way he avoided looking at her body, the way he was a little too careful around her. He hid his desire well, but Sakura could see what he tried too hard to hide. He had trained her too well.

Closing the door behind her, Sakura began to move from the bathroom and back into the living room, intending to get back into her dress from the night before and make breakfast for her former sensei to repay his kindness.

Sakura paused near his bedroom door, smirking at the trip wire in the gap. Then she froze in shock, hearing him moan.

"Ah… Sakura." Kakashi's voice was low, and sounded a bit groggy, as if he were just waking up. "Sakura…yes. Ah, that feels good."

Sakura stood in the hallway, listening to the sheets rustle, trying to think of a way to move and get away from the door. She didn't need to listen to this…dream? Moment of privacy? Whatever was going on beyond that door, she didn't need to listen.

"Ugh!" Kakashi suddenly grunted loudly. "Damn… I have got to stop waking up like this. I'm not a teenager anymore, why does this keep happening?"

Sakura felt her cheeks heat up, and she tried to suppress her nervous giggle, but failed. Instantly, Kakashi was pulling his door open, knife in hand. She dropped into a defensive position, holding her hands up in front of her face. They stared at one another for a moment, then relaxed. Kakashi stood in the doorway awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head and trying not to look at Sakura. After a few minutes of just standing, Sakura cleared her throat.

"I'm going to make some breakfast. Don't try going anywhere, because we need to talk about this."

Kakashi watched for a moment as Sakura walked through the living room and into the kitchen, then grabbed some fresh clothes and went into the bathroom himself, locking the door behind him.

In the kitchen, Sakura took a deep breath. She knew she couldn't leave this alone. She had heard too much, and Kakashi knew it. She was fine with him being attracted to her, and Sakura knew she couldn't pretend she had never thought about it. Kakashi was an attractive and capable man, after all. She didn't know anyone in Konoha who hadn't at least joked about hitting on him, and she knew many civilians who tried often to get his attention.

She knew he stayed away from relationships for the same reason many shinobi his age did… no one wanted to leave a family behind, regardless of whether the reason was honorable or dishonorable. Sakura understood and sympathized, but she did not feel that she should sacrifice love, even temporary love, just because she was a shinobi. She had already sacrificed enough, as had Kakashi: why should they ignore how they felt?

"Oh… you're still here. Damn." Kakashi startled her out of her thoughts.

Sakura turned and briefly glared at Kakashi, then shook her head.

"I told you, I want to work this out. Look, I saw some things last night that got my attention, even while I was tipsy. For example, you kept your eye off me very well when I walked up to you at the club last night. However, there were a couple of times when your control slipped and you looked at me. You looked at my legs and my breasts. When I lost my balance and fell off the stool, you caught me, and your hands very quickly moved from my hips to under my arms.

"Then there was what I overheard just twenty minutes ago. Kakashi, I am not insulted, or weirded out. Part of me is actually flattered-not many men I trust and love have been attracted to me sexually. I am confused, however. Why did you hide it? Why haven't you talked to me?"

Kakashi was silent for a while, then shook his head, looking melancholy. "Sakura, I'm fourteen years older than you are. You're beautiful, but I am much too old for you. I have too much baggage. I get night terrors and have been known to attack women in my sleep."

"I know that's not what I heard this morning. That sounded more like sex than combat." Sakura retorted. Kakashi sighed, rolling his eye towards the ceiling.

"My point is, I could hurt you."

"And I could hurt you. You think we wouldn't both be taking a risk? I know how to disarm someone, and I have dealt with people hitting me before. Look, I trust you, and I think we should give us a chance."

"You're still working out your place in the world, Sakura. You don't need someone who is already settled."

"I don't intend on looking any further for my place in this world than Konoha. And you're already settled here, so why not give this a chance. Look… I like you. I never told anyone this, but…" Sakura blushed and looked away. "I used to look at you. When I was around sixteen. I was over Sasuke, mostly, and you were one of the only guys- no, men… that I could look at without feeling too foolish. You've got a great body and you're loyal as hell. And everyone else looked at you. I even caught some other guys looking at you, on occasion."

Kakashi looked embarrassed. "Well, I suppose other males looking at me is a compliment, even though I don't feel the need to look back at them."

Sakura laughed. "I thought that might be what you said. Don't change the subject on me, though. I saw you looking at me last night, and I heard you sounding quite… passionate when you said my name this morning. Do you like me or not?"

Kakashi shifted uncomfortably before answering. "Sakura...You're a great ninja, and you're grown to be a fine young woman. You deser—"

"Don't. Don't you dare try that on me. I decide what I deserve, and who deserves me. I know you, and I think you deserve a chance. So… will you go out with me?"

Kakashi stared at Sakura in surprise, then began to shake his head. She rolled her eyes and leaned forward, trapping Kakashi against the kitchen counter, pulling his mask down at the same time. Her lips met his, and Kakashi froze, shocked that she managed to get the advantage of him so quickly. Then Sakura pressed against him, and her hands met his chest, massaging his pectoral muscles. Kakashi hesitantly wrapped an arm around her waist, his other hand caressing her cheek, fingertips moving into her hair. Still kissing him, Sakura gently opened her mouth, tongue darting out to lick his lips. Kakashi opened his mouth, tongue moving out to meet hers. Then, he suddenly pulled her away.

"All right… you proved your point, Sakura. I do want you. You clearly don't mind that, and want to pursue a relationship. That being said… I would like to take it slow, and keep it private, at least for a while. I want to make sure it pans out the way we both want it to, and I don't want either of us to get hurt. Okay?"

Sakura smiled at him. "Of course. Would you like to set a date? Maybe dinner?"

Kakashi nodded. "Maybe next Friday?"

Sakura nodded, and after breakfast, Sakura left, with Kakashi promising to call her later. Both were excited, but neither wanted to push too hard. Relationships, even short ones, were serious business.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Thank you all for your favorites and reviews! I did not realize it at first, but I made a mistake (thank you, Seth7 and oyink, for pointing it out), as when Sakura and Kakashi left the club in the first chapter, they went to Kakashi's apartment, not Sakura's…. oops! I have gone back and fixed this error. Onto the story…

Sakura was excited and nervous about their date, and throughout the week leading up to it, her nerves nearly got the better of her…and her best friend noticed, as best friends tend to do.

"Sakura? Hey, what is with you? Hello? Sakura!"

Sakura jumped slightly, turning to see Ino waving a hand in her face. Sakura blinked, realizing she had been standing in front of the bookstore, staring at but not really seeing a display for the _Icha_ books. She wondered how long she had been standing there, but didn't have any time to really think about it.

"Are you okay, Forehead? What were you looking at?"

Sakura shook her head and smiled. "Nothing. It's just been a long day."

"Well, maybe we should go out again this week. You kno-

"No way!" Sakura glared at Ino. "Kakashi was at that club, investigating a couple of cases where girls got roofied. I'm not going out with you until you apologize for leaving me alone like that."

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry. Did you get hurt?"

"No, I was lucky. Kakashi let me crash at his place for the night, so I wouldn't get hurt on the way home. Although, I don't know if I would have been hurt, so much as many people would have been woken up to some asshole screaming at me for breaking his arm."

Ino laughed. "That's true. I couldn't imagine meeting someone foolhardy enough to mess with a highly trained kunoichi like one of us. Say, when did you start calling Kakashi-sensei just Kakashi?"

"Uh … I … Just now. What's the big deal? He's not our teacher anymore. Heck, I'm jōnin now, too, remember? I don't have to call him sensei if I don't want to."

"Okay, okay. Why are you so defensive today?"

"Why are you so nosy today?"

"I'm your best friend. I'm allowed to know everything about you. Heck, it's almost a requirement."

"Ah. That must be why you never spare me the details about you and Sai's sex life."

"Oh! That reminds me, what do you think of the use of nipple clamps in bed? I mean, clearly they are useful in terms of interrogation and torture, but do you think they could be erotic as well? You know, I never thought candle wax would be a turn-on, but I was wrong then!"

Sakura blushed slightly and shook her head as Ino prattled on and on about different tools of the interrogation trade could work so well in the bedroom. It wasn't that Sakura was a prude or anything: she liked sex just as much as Ino did. However, she was pretty private. Not many people had earned their right to know what went on in Sakura Haruno's bedroom.

"So, what's in the bag?"

Sakura looked down at the bag she was carrying. She hesitated, then sighed. Ino would find out one way or another…

"Well, it's a dress. I sort of have a date tonight."

Ino stared, then squealed and grabbed the bag from Sakura.

"Who is he? Where did you go? How did you meet? Where is he taking you?"

Sakura laughed. "Slow down. I got the dress at that cute little dress shop a block over from Ichiraku's. He's taking me to dinner, but I'm not sure where. He said it was casual, but I kind of felt like dressing up a bit anyway. We've known each other for a while."

"Oh, wow. Sakura, let me help you get ready."

"I'm a big girl, I can dress myself. Ino, give it back!"

"Come on, let me help you! It's been forever since you had a date. I want to know everything about him."

"Will you keep the bag if I refuse?"

Ino nodded, clutching the bag to her chest. Sakura threw up her hands. "Fine, I'll let you help me out. But you have to leave before he comes, and don't talk to a bunch of people about it yet: I'm not even sure how long this will last."

"Okay, fair enough."

The two girls made their way back to Sakura's. Ino kept pressing Sakura for information, but she refused to say anything until they got to her apartment. Once inside, Ino locked the front door, stood in front of it, and told Sakura to spill it.

"Well, we met a long time ago, when we were kids. He's reliable, good-looking, kind… he's a good man."

"Do I know him?"

"Yeah… Ino, you wouldn't judge me, would you? Like, if he's someone you never expected me to go out with?"

"No, never. You didn't judge me when I started seeing Sai, but a lot of the older ninja did, remember? They said Sai wasn't emotional enough, and was questionable in terms of his loyalty because of his involvement with Danzo. You stood by me and told me that as long as he and I were happy, I didn't need to give a damn about their opinions."

"Okay… it's Kakashi."

"…Wow… I didn't know you were into older guys. Wait, how the heck did that happen?!"

"Well… before he took me home the other night, he sort of caught me when I slipped and I noticed how careful he was about not touching me in inappropriate places. Then, when I woke up the following morning… well… I won't go into detail, but we started talking and he eventually agreed to a relationship."

"Huh. What happened that morning? Did he kiss you or admit his love for you?

"No… basically, I confronted him about what I saw in his actions."

"Well, all he did was stop you from falling and keep his hands to himself."

"Ino, I'm not telling you what else I observed, okay? It's not respectful to him."

Ino waved her hands, shaking her head. "Okay, okay. Have you told anyone else?"

"No. I wanted to see how the first few dates went. Lucky for you, you're my best friend."

"Are you nervous?"

"A little." Sakura fiddled with her shirt, looking at the clock on the wall. "I'm kind of excited, too. Don't you hate that butterflies feeling?"

"Nah, it's a good sign. You deserve to find a great guy like Kakashi. And if you two only get some slap 'n' tickle out of it, that's okay, too. When is he supposed to pick you up?"

"Five… of course, that really means six or seven."

"Okay… that gives us plenty of time."

The two girls sat and got started. Sakura was pretty just the way she was, but Ino could tell Sakura really wanted to look her best for this… and helping her succeed was really the best part about being her best friend.

A couple of hours later, a tap at Sakura's door made the girls stop giggling. Sakura looked at the clock: it was only five-fifteen. Could he really be so early, for him?

"Just a minute," Sakura said, standing up and carefully brushing her hands down the simple black dress she wore. The dress had spaghetti straps and stopped just above her knees. Instead of wearing heels or anything else Ino suggested, she wore black flats, with little red dots decorating the toes.

She smiled at Ino just before she opened the door. Ino gave her a thumbs up, grinning back.

"Kakashi? Wow, you're early, for you."

Kakashi wore his usual vest and other ninja gear, though most of it was in black, instead of the usual earthen tones. His eye rose, and Sakura could tell he was a bit surprised by her look.

"Kakashi… did I overdress?"

"No, not at all. I was saving a kitten from a very aggressive tree and I realized I was running late. Are you ready?"

"Yes… um… Hey, Ino. Lock up for me, okay?"

"Of course. Have a great time, you two!"

Kakashi eyed Sakura for a moment, then took her hand and led her down the apartment stairs and into the night. Sakura could tell he was at least a little nervous: he seemed tense and was rather quiet. She didn't like silence on dates, so she decided to make conversation.

"So… Did you hear about Sasuke and Karin's upcoming bundle of joy? I bet he is so happy."

"Yes, he probably is. He's ready to become a father and accomplish his last goal."

"Do you think he'll be a good one?"

"Very much so."

Silence took over again, and Sakura started to feel awkward. Why was he so stiff and tense? Did something bad happen?

"Is something wrong, Kakashi?"

"No. Why?"

"You just seem so quiet."

"My apologies, I have never been a great conversationalist on dates. I didn't realize I hadn't gotten any better in that regard…"

"You don't have to be so shy around me. We've been through a lot together."

"I know… I've just never been great at dating… I have been described as too serious, too aloof, too obsessed with my job…"

"Are those remarks from exes?"

"Some of them are." Kakashi shrugged. "Some were from Genma."

"Genma? Really, all he does is make jokes, and you're taking his word for what you need to be like on dates?"

"He's a bit more successful than me in the dating department."

"And is also an ass. Half the girls he's slept with hate him."

"True. Here we are. You like tempura, right?"

"I love it!" Sakura smiled at the sight of the small restaurant, which had a sign advising tempura platters for couples to share. "It sounds good, too."

Kakashi smiled and opened the door for her. "I come back here after tough missions, as long as I am not injured. Its great food for dates and for celebrating a successful mission. The beer they brew here isn't bad, either."

"I'm not big on beer, but I'll try some of yours, if you order it."

"Fair enough."

After they went in and the waitress got their drinks, Sakura smiled at him.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"Well…are you nervous about this? At all?" Sakura's hands shook slightly as she said the words, but she had to know. Was he as nervous as her?

"A bit. This is my first date in years. I don't date often, because of my mission schedule."

"Ah. I'm usually helping patients or doing paperwork or teaching Academy students first aid, so if it helps, I don't date often either."

"That helps, to be honest. Thank you for your honesty." Kakashi looked over the menu in his hands. "Should we just get the couple's platter?"

"Sure, I don't mind sharing."

They ordered, their food arrived, and they ate, occasionally making small talk. After the waitress cleared away their plates, they both got a refill of their drinks, politely declined dessert, and sat talking quietly for a bit longer.

"Thank you, Kakashi." Sakura smiled at him as he walked her back to her apartment. "It was a very nice date."

"You're welcome… and thank you for being a wonderful date." Kakashi hesitated at her door as she fiddled with her keys. "You look beautiful, by the way."

"Thank you. Would you… like to come in? I know it's a first date, and I don't want to rush it, but I wouldn't mind if you came in."

"Sure, if you don't mind putting up with me for a bit longer."

"I would love to spend more time with you."

They got in and Sakura invited him to sit down with her on the couch. They sat there for a moment, and then Kakashi turned to her.

"I'm sorry, Sakura."

"For what?" Sakura tilted her head to one side, secretly fearing that he wasn't interested at all in her, and just took her out on a date to be polite.

"I'm sorry for … being a pig the other morning. When you heard me… heard me in my bedroom."

"… You don't have to apologize. If anything, I should be apologizing for… well, accidentally violating your privacy."

"No… I should have been controlling myself, and I should have reminded myself that you were in my apartment. I should have been more gentlemanly… and I need to have better control of my body."

"Kakashi, I don't even know what was going on...I was just waking up."

"Well…. I don't know if I should tell you. Maybe I should just let sleeping dogs lie."

"If you don't want to tell me, you don't have to. You also don't have to be afraid of telling me, or embarrassed of whatever was going on."

Kakashi was silent for what seemed to Sakura like forever. Eventually, he turned his face slightly away, so all she could see was mask. "I was… I have been dreaming about you, for a few months now. I woke up with an erection and needed to get rid of it."

"That's all? Kakashi, that's nothing to be embarrassed about. And I'm not insulted, either. "

Kakashi slowly turned his face back to her, watching her face intently.

"Seriously, having a wet dream and waking up with an erection is totally normal. And it's not insulting to me because I know you're a gentleman." Sakura smiled reassuringly, putting one hand on his knee. "It's okay, I promise."

"I'm glad you said that. I feel better now."

"Good." Sakura leaned forward, preparing to kiss his cheek. Suddenly, Kakashi pulled his mask down, and kissed her, hard. For a second, she froze: then, she began kissing him back, putting one hand on his cheek and cradling his face gently.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Thank you all again for your views! Your readership really means a lot to me.

I realized recently that I keep forgetting to put a disclaimer on these chapters, so… I don't own Naruto or any of the characters.

A quick warning: this chapter has a fairly adult scene at the end of the chapter. If you don't like it, please don't be rude about it.

On to the story!

Sakura and Kakashi sat on her couch and kissed for what seemed like an eternity. He drew her closer to his body and gently ran his arms over her arms before pulling her closer to him. In response, she wrapped her arms around his neck and opened her mouth, a small sigh escaping her lips. Kakashi's tongue ghosted over her lower lip before carefully entering, as if he were afraid of upsetting Sakura. Sakura opened her mouth, her tongue meeting his gently.

After a few minutes, Kakashi pulled back, looking at Sakura with a hazy eye. She smiled at him, taking in his strong chin and sharp cheekbones. The scar that went through his left eye, ending in the middle of his cheek, did not take away his handsomeness. She giggled a little as he ran a hand though her hair.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked.

"I like the way you look. You're handsome." She closed her eyes, enjoying the hand playing with her pink locks. Kakashi smirked.

"Well, that's a relief. I was concerned you wouldn't like the wrinkles."

Sakura laughed and kissed his chin gently. "You don't have wrinkles, you goose."

"Maybe you just don't see them. They're everywhere. I'm so old, I even have white hair." Kakashi's lips brushed hers again.

"You've always had white hair, Kakashi."

"So you've been checking me out for a while?" Kakashi didn't wait for her response, and kissed her again as she began to giggle. She rolled her eyes before kissing him back, pulling him closer. Soon, they were kissing deeply, Kakashi pulling her into his lap and running his hands over her back and bottom. With a groan, Kakashi pulled his mouth from hers and leaned his forehead against her shoulder.

"What's wrong?" Sakura asked him, concerned that she had done something wrong.

"Nothing … I just want to slow down. At this rate, we'll end up in bed together too quickly. I want our relationship to develop further."

"… I understand…"

An uncomfortable silence fell over them, and it was only then that Sakura realized Kakashi was aroused. She could feel his erection through the clothes between them, and if she moved back a bit, she could even see its outline against his trousers. She moved forward, pressing herself against him, and Kakashi suddenly gripped her hips.

"Don't. Please, don't. I'll lose it if you tease me like that."

"… All right."

Sakura eased herself off of his lap and went to the kitchen for a couple glasses of water. By the time she got back, Kakashi seemed less tense, but there was an awkward feeling between them. She gave him his water, and he drained the glass quickly and stood.

"I should go. It's getting late, and tomorrow is a work day for you, right?"

"Yeah, they need me at the hospital for some clinic work and a couple of autopsies on two girls that were found dead last week. I'm helping investigate if they died by a bad accident or not."

"Ah. Well … you'll need to sleep well tonight. If you're not too busy, call me and we'll meet for lunch. Okay?"

Sakura smiled and kissed his cheek. "Sounds great. Slee-

"Sakura-san? Are you home? Oh… um…" Sakura looked up and blushed. Near the stairs, Sasuke stood, carrying a bank box and looking at both Kakashi and Sakura uncomfortably.

"… I'll talk to you tomorrow. Sleep well, Sakura-chan." Sakura blinked in surprise as Kakashi walked past Sasuke, nodding to him slightly, and went down the stairs. After a moment, Sasuke walked up to Sakura, who was still standing in her apartment doorway.

"… I wanted to ask for your opinion on some medical records I found at my family's estate."

"Okay. Come in." Sakura stood aside to let him in, praying he wouldn't bring up what he had seen. It wasn't that she was worried about his opinion – ultimately, she didn't care whether Sasuke or anyone else accepted her romantic relationship with Kakashi.

Once they settled on the couch, Sasuke opened the bank box and began handing Sakura medical files.

"I've been working on some research regarding genetics and the Uchiha clan. Karin and I are talking about having our first child, but I want to make sure the child is healthy and doesn't have any issues. My big concern is any issues as a result of my family's history with incest. I don't believe my family always practiced it, but there is a history – my parents were second cousins."

"Well, I'm no genetics expert, but I have read a few books and papers on the problems with incest, and I don't think there will be an issue with you and Karin having a child. You two are not related at all, and issues with incest usually stem from family members reproducing with other direct family members, such as cousins or brothers and sisters."

Sasuke blanched. "A brother having sex with their sister? Ew."

"It's happened before, Sasuke. Typically in very small towns with little education, medically speaking, or in bad situations. That being said, I don't think there will be an issue here."

"Will you please look through these files anyway? They chronicle any impact the incest may have had on a child, from birth until their teens. I'll make it up to you, if you would like?"

"All right." Sakura started looking through the files. "Is there anything else I should look at? Maybe issues with the Sharingan?"

"No, not yet. Thank you, though."

The two sat in silence as Sakura began to look through the papers. After a moment, Sasuke cleared his throat.

"I should go. How long will it take you to look through those papers?"

"Probably a week. Longer, if you bring me more."

"Fair enough. I'll see you in a week. Thank you, Sakura." Sasuke stood and walked to the door, then turned back. "Sakura?"

"Yes?"

"Your … thing with Kakashi … I hope it works out."

Sakura was shocked and touched by the kindness in Sasuke's voice. While it was clear that he was a bit confused, he didn't wish any ill will on her or Kakashi.

"Thank you. Goodnight, Sasuke."

"Goodnight, Sakura."

After Sasuke left, Sakura poured herself a glass of wine and pulled out one of her books on genetics and clans, comparing notes from the Uchiha medical papers and making a note of any issues she needed to do further research on. She marked her place after she finished her wine and put the papers away, making a mental note to ask one of the doctors more closely involved with the maternity ward about the history of clans and incest the following afternoon.

Sakura made her way into her bedroom, shimmying her way out of her dress and depositing it into the hamper as she went. The dress was closely followed by her bra and underwear, and as Sakura began to dig through her dresser for a T-shirt, she glanced at the items on the top of the dresser.

Among the blade-sharpening tools and other tools, there were a couple of pictures. One picture was of Kakashi: it had been taken by Ino on a hot summer's day, when all the boys insisted on going shirtless while they were training. While he was reluctant at first, Kakashi eventually discarded his shirt, using a different mask to cover the lower half of his face, of course. The picture showed Kakashi with his back to the camera, looking back to tell Ino to stop taking pictures and get back to training.

Sakura's eyes focused on his shoulders and back, and felt the arousal from earlier in the evening come back. After staring at the picture for a moment, Sakura put down the picture and reached far into one of the drawers, pulling out a small vibrator. There was no way she could sleep after thinking about her time with Kakashi on the couch, about the way his hard cock felt against her, and how he gripped her hips when she tried to press herself against him. She needed a little relief.

Lying back on the bed, Sakura began to touch her breasts, stomach, thighs, imagining it was Kakashi touching her, pleasuring her. She imagined his mouth against her throat, sucking and nipping his way to ravish her breasts. She switched on the vibrator, pressing it against her core and moaning softly at the pressure and the movement of the little device. She thrust her hips upwards, playing with her nipple with one hand and angling the vibrator rhythmically with her hips.

"Kakashi…mmmm…. Please, keep going… AH!" Sakura arched her back in orgasm, shaking against her hands.

After she let her body settle down from the orgasm, Sakura put her vibrator on the bedside table and pulled the covers over her. She couldn't wait to see Kakashi again.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Firstly, I would like to thank my readers for their continued readership. You all mean very much to me. Secondly, I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.

Now, to address the anonymous guest who told me "Kill yourself, you disgusting self-inserting loser." I pity you, anonymous guest. You must not be very happy in your life to think this appropriate or funny. I hope you are able to find happiness and that you don't cause damage to anyone with your hate-filled words and cruelty. That being said, every time I receive one of these messages or reviews, I will delete the message and, if possible, block and report the individual sending the message. I just don't have the patience or time to deal with hateful people.

To anyone who saw this review before I could delete it: if you want to write fanfiction, don't let this situation and remark stop you from writing. I kept myself from writing for a long time because I didn't want to receive this kind of message, and I wish I hadn't. Write and write, as much and often as you can.

On to the story!

Kakashi's eye glared at the alarm clock, which had awoken him rather rudely from a very deep sleep. Slowly, he rolled off his futon and stood, wincing slightly as his body creaked and moaned from the strain of moving. When had his joints started making that noise? And why was his back so stiff? It wasn't as if his futon was a hard surface. He had slept on the hard, rocky floors of various caves, and he didn't remember his back being so stiff any of those times. Then again, many of his bones had been broken in the past. There was a possibility of early-onset arthritis, as many of his doctors had mentioned before.

After Kakashi finished his morning stretches and exercises, he walked into his kitchen and got some milk from the refrigerator, drinking from the carton. He knew he needed to start getting ready for his second date with Sakura, but he felt distracted by the idea. She was his student at one time, and he had known her since she was twelve. She'd gone from an indecisive, emotionally unstable, boy-crazy little girl into an intelligent, quick, and bright young woman, and he had seen her every step of the way. He knew dating her wasn't illegal, as she was now twenty-one, but it was still odd. In addition to their history as teacher and student, fifteen years separated them, and he couldn't help but feel awkward about the age difference. Was he overstepping his bounds? Was it wrong? Was he holding Sakura back from finding someone her age, with better health and life expectancy prospects?

Then again, Sakura had initiated the change in the relationship. She had kissed him first, had confronted him about what she had witnessed. Sakura didn't seem concerned about the age difference, or the past. She seemed at ease, interested, and even a bit excited about the idea of dating him. He couldn't deny that he was very interested in her, himself. But was it right? Was it appropriate?

Kakashi thoughts turned to their first date. The conversation was wide, and they were both very engaged. For Kakashi, it was like talking to someone he had been close friends with for a long time. However, there was a significant difference with the way he talked to Genma or Guy. With either of them, he mostly talked about training techniques, or how their students had grown over the years. With Sakura, Kakashi found himself talking about art and music, and he found himself wishing at times that he had not focused so hard on his duty to the village.

He didn't exactly regret working so hard for the Konoha and its people, but he had to admit that it might have been better and healthier for him to socialize or take part in a festival or something. Sakura had taken the time to enjoy life a little, and she certainly seemed happier for it.

There was also a difference in how Kakashi felt when he was with Sakura. With her, he felt content, open. He felt excited during their date, and nervous too. But did he feel odd about dating her on their first date? Not at all. Even when Sasuke Uchiha came to her apartment and saw her kiss his cheek, Kakashi felt comfortable and …at home. He felt at home with Sakura Haruno, regardless of their former relationship and their age difference.

Kakashi put the milk away and climbed into the shower, planning for their lunch date as he cleaned up. He knew he would have to make sure he was on time today, as Sakura gave herself an hour for lunch and she was very strict about getting back to work when she was done. He also knew that it would be smart for him to take her to a restaurant close to the hospital, so she can make it back in case of an emergency at the hospital. Ichiraku's was ideal, but was ramen really an acceptable place for a second date? Was it too relaxed? Too public? Then again, they would only have an hour before she had to go to work. It was not as if they would be able to be intimate or even be able to talk about intimate things. That, and Ichiraku's was perfect for a quick and healthy meal. Ichiraku's it was, then.

Sakura was nervous. In her black slacks and deep blue blouse, she looked great and had had a very productive morning at work, but she was still nervous. She had tried to schedule the two autopsies she was asked to help with for the morning, but the coroner himself had not been in until late. This meant that Sakura had completed two autopsies just before lunch, which meant she smelled. She had gone out on dates before, and civilian and ninja alike were often uncomfortable with the chemical cleaner and preservative smells that hung on her after each autopsy.

What made the idea of having lunch with Kakashi more awkward was the knowledge that Kakashi had an extremely sensitive nose, and was sometimes called a human dog as a result of that sensitivity. Normally, Sakura would cancel, but to do so, she would have to meet him face-to-face, which would defeat the purpose of canceling. She could try and douse herself in perfume, but she never liked doing that because the chemicals in perfume would often mix badly with formaldehyde and other chemicals used in the autopsy room. That, and she was concerned Kakashi wouldn't particularly like her wearing perfume: he just didn't seem to be the kind of guy to enjoy that type of thing. No, there was nothing she could really do, except hope he didn't pick up on the way she smelled.

Sorry for the lack of action, but I wanted to give you guys something. For some reason, this chapter gave me a lot of difficulty. Next chapter will be the lunch date.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Hello, Sakura," Kakashi said as he sauntered up to her in the hospital lobby. "Are you ready for lunch?"

"Sure. Where will we be going?" Sakura smiled as she pulled her purse a bit higher up on her arm.

"Well, I hope you don't mind, but I thought Ichiraku's would be fine. It's close to the hospital, the food is good, and the service is quick. That way, if you get called back early, you'll still have had something in your stomach."

"Ichiraku's sounds great. Just don't start talking like Naruto when we get there." Sakura replied, eyes shining with humor. Kakashi chuckled briefly. They left the hospital, walking at a relaxed place towards the ramen shop.

"So, what did you do all morning?" Sakura asked him. "Did you get out and enjoy the sun."

"No, but I should have. It's a nice day. I slept in and did some training in my apartment, then came to get you. How was your morning?"

"I saw a few patients and checked to make sure their treatments were working right, then… did some paperwork," Sakura finished carefully, hoping Kakashi didn't pick up on her hesitation.

"Paperwork, huh? Sounds like a joy."

"Well, I _know_ how much you like paperwork, Kakashi," Sakura teased him. "I've helped Tsunade-sama do paperwork before, and trying to decipher yours is near impossible…. when you turn it in, anyway."

Kakashi smiled at her. "Doing my paperwork in crayon makes it interesting for me. Same for the codes I put in. Does it not make it interesting for you?"

"Well, the codes and cyphers are interesting, but the crayons make it difficult to take the reports seriously, code or not."

"Ah. Do you think I should try a new writing medium? Maybe finger paints?"

"Don't get me in trouble with Tsunade-sama, now. If she thinks I encouraged you to make your paperwork more ludicrous than it already is, she'll kill me," Sakura said.

"I'll behave as best I can. Promise."

The couple reached Ichiraku's ramen shop. Unsuprisingly, Naruto was there, on his third bowl of ramen.

"Hey, Kakashi-sensei, Sakura! How are you? The ramen's great, as always."

"We're good, Naruto. It's nice to see you," Kakashi said as he pulled out a stool for Sakura, who smiled at his chivalry and sat down.

After Sakura and Kakashi ordered, Sakura asked Kakashi about his most recent group of students.

"Oh, they're all right enough. It's a bit hard to keep up with them sometimes, though. They are so energetic."

"Maybe you're just old, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto said between slurps. "I mean, you were old when we were our teacher and team leader. You can't possibly have the energy to keep up with kids, anymore."

"I'm only 36, Naruto. And I was in my late twenties when I had to keep you three out of trouble."

"Yeah, and you've had how many broken bones and stuff? I mean, being in almost constant battle with some enemy ninja takes a big toll on a person. Even a guy like you."

"I take care of my body," Kakashi said defensively.

"You also have more emergency room visits than any other ninja in Konoha. You may be younger than Naruto thinks, but you are hard on your body," Sakura told Kakashi matter-of-factly.

"Thanks for the support, Sakura."

"I didn't say I agreed with Naruto. I don't think you're old at all. I'm sure you just get tired because of the crap the students give you."

"That's exactly what it is. They give me more attitude and crap than you guys did."

"Now, I don't believe that," Sakura told him with a wink. "We're still giving you as much crap as we can dish out."

"I noticed." Kakashi said dryly, flicking a noodle at Sakura. Smiling, Sakura flicked a noodle back at him.

"Hey, what's going on? Kiba said as he, Akamaru, and Hinata came up behind the trio.

"Just reminiscing, Kiba, how are you?" Sakura said.

"Good. We just got back from an escort mission. Some diplomat from here to the Land of Lightening. It wasn't bad."

Akamaru whined as Kiba and Hinata sat down. "Hold on, buddy. I'm ordering a bowl for you, I promise," Kiba told him.

After Hinata, Kiba, and Akamaru settled down and everyone ate quietly for a few moments. Then, Akamaru whined again, and covered his nose with one paw.

"What's wrong, buddy? Something smells weird?" Kiba sniffed the air. "Whoa, something does smell funky."

Sakura ducked her head down by her shoulders, trying to hide her blush. _Please, don't track the smell. Just ignore it_ , Sakura thought desperately.

"It's like… cleaners, or something. Ichiraku, have you cleaned the counter with bleach or something?"

"Nope, I use soap and hot water. Another helping of ramen, Naruto?" Ichiraku set a bowl in front of Naruto, who smiled broadly and quickly started his third bowl.

"Must be something else… Hold on, I'll figure it out." Kiba started sniffing around, nose high in the air.

"Sit down and relax, Kiba. It's probably a smell from another restaurant or something." Kakashi tapped the counter, indicating his interest in another soda. Ichiraku set the can down, while Kiba continued sniffing the air.

"Nah… there's a preservative or something, too… like, something you smell in a taxidermy place." Kiba stood, smelling the air around him. "The source is so close."

"Kiba, sit down and eat. Your ramen is getting cold," Hinata reminded him. Kiba ignored her and kept sniffing, moving closer and closer to Sakura, who was trying her hardest to prevent him from finding out she was the source of the offending odor. She had already splashed herself with soda and ramen broth, and was getting more nervous by the minute. What would Kakashi think if he smelled her? If Kiba pointed out her smell?

"… Sakura, did you drop a jar of formaldehyde of something? You reek!" Kiba told her after a minute. Very red in the face, Sakura shook her head.

"No… I was helping with a couple of autopsies this morning. Girls who were drugged and taken advantage of, and then killed. They were found a couple of days ago."

"Oh. Well, you really stink. Why would you go out smelling like that?"

"Kiba, don't be so rude!" Hinata scolded, shocked.

"She's right, Kiba. Sakura probably couldn't resist the idea of ramen for lunch today," Naruto said. "Cut her some slack for being so stinky."

"No wonder you boys never get laid. Don't you know it's rude to point out a girl's flaws, even if they are temporary?" Ino suddenly said behind them, making everyone but Ichiraku and Kakashi jump.

"… Sorry, Sakura," Naruto said after a minute. Kiba nodded sheepishly and sat down, nose pointed away from Sakura.

"Hmph. At least Kakashi is nice enough not to be such a jerk. He's a real gentleman, isn't he, Hinata? A total prince, great for any girl."

"He is polite."

"I should head back to work. Bye, guys. Thanks, Ichiraku." Sakura stood quickly, Kakashi following her.

When they got back to the hospital, Sakura turned to Kakashi.

"I'm sorry. That was awful, and embarrassing, and —"

"What are you talking about? It was fine. Ignore Kiba and Naruto, they're idiots, and idiots take a while to mature. Don't worry."

"I- I didn't bother you? The smell didn't bother you?"

"I noticed it, but I don't care. I knew it must have had something to do with your work here at the hospital. And like Ino said, it is very rude to point out something that is bothering the lady you are spending time with."

"Ino called it a flaw."

"I don't consider you doing honest work to bring justice to some poor victims of violent crimes to be a flaw. I think it's wonderful, what you do for this community." Kakashi was thankful for his mask: it hid his blush very well.

"… Thank you. I appreciate the compliment. Walk me to my office?"

"Sure."

When they got to her office, Sakura motioned towards one of the chairs. Kakashi sat down as she shut the door.

"Okay… I know it's really early. We've only been on two dates, we haven't talked much about our intimate histories. We don't even know each other's boundaries and issues yet. All that being said, I want to be serious. I want to try this as a serious relationship. I like you a lot. I like the way you treat me. What do you say?"

"I told you in the beginning that I was serious. Still am. Why make the big speech if you already knew that?"

"Well…you don't seem that serious. Other guys, they um… they show it. They hold hands with their girls, they kiss them. You were wonderful at lunch, but… it feels a bit like nothing has ever changed."

"Ah. If you wanted more affection, all you had to do was ask."

Suddenly, Kakashi was on his feet, and Sakura found herself pinned to the desk. Kakashi's mask was down around his neck, and he was kissing her passionately, with one hand on her cheek and the other around her waist, holding her body close to his. As his tongue slipped into her mouth, her legs came up around his waist, and he pulled her up until Sakura's bottom rested on the desk. Sakura's tongue met Kakashi's, and her arms wrapped around him. Both of their breaths came harshly, and Kakashi's teeth nipped Sakura's lightly. Sakura moaned.

Suddenly, there was a knock at Sakura's office door. The couple on the desk froze, and Sakura cautiously moved her face away from Kakashi's.

"Yes? What is it?" Sakura was glad her voice didn't shake as much as her knees were.

"I wanted to remind you of your next appointment, Dr. Haruno. It's in ten minutes."

"Ye-Yes, thank you. I'm getting ready for it right now."

After a moment, Kakashi moved away slowly, smoothing her skirt down and bringing her knees together. His hands went to her head, smoothing her hair out as well.

"You… have to get back to work. Dammit."

"Sorry. I get out around 5:30, unless something happens."

"Okay. Want me to walk you home?"

"Yours or mine?" Sakura asked him, smiling slightly.

"Let me get a change of clothes, if you want me to stay." Kakashi's fingers brushed her lips lightly. "I don't mind… staying the night? We can talk about personal histories and boundaries and those other things you were interested in. If that's what you want."

"Sounds good. I'll walk you to the front door."

Sakura walked him to the front door of the hospital.

"See you later. Have a good afternoon, okay?" Sakura said with a smile.

"You too. Don't let any patients give you trouble."

"Of course not."

"One more thing." Kakashi said, pulling her into his arms. "I like kissing you."

His lips pressed to hers, drawing a gasp from the nurses and administrative staff. Kakashi ignored them, just as he was ignoring the fabric of his mask between him and Sakura, and continued kissing her. After a moment, he broke the kiss, and set her back on her feet.

"Have a good afternoon, and I'll see you at 5:30. Send a messenger if something happens and you have to stay late."

"O-okay. See you soon-ish."

Sakura watched him walk away for a moment, then turned back to the hospital lobby. Very quickly, the staff moved back to what they were doing, but a couple of them looked back at her, and she saw others whispering behind hands and clipboards. She sighed: it was going to be a long afternoon.

Sorry it took me so long to update this! School got me busy, so this story got set on the backburner for a while. I promise I will try to update more often, and thank you all for your follows, favorites, and reviews.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Work was a bit of a blur for Sakura, after her little make out session with Kakashi in her office. She stayed busy, which she was happy about… but she felt scattered. She felt the need to double check every blood test and reread the chart of every patient, lest she let her mind wander and make some rookie mistake. Luckily, no one noticed her scattered behavior… but all the nurses noticed when Kakashi arrived to pick her up. They noticed because he was fifteen minutes early. Of course, they didn't tell Sakura about his early arrival: they wanted to see Sakura's reaction.

"So make sure Takeshi-san gets his evening medication, and tell Umina-san she needs to do her exercises tonight and every night, or she won't regain proper control of her arm and leg," Sakura told the night staff doctors as she handed the case files in question over. (Author's Note: my knowledge of proper suffixes in Japanese language only goes as far as those little information sheets in manga and stuff like that. I'm not sure what is the proper suffix a doctor would use to address patient, so I used "-san." If anyone reading this knows better, please let me know!)

"Of course, Haruno-sensei."

"Ukano-san, I told you: call me Sakura-san. I don't mind at all."

The doctor taking over the night shift smiled shyly and shook her head. "I'm sorry, but you are my boss, Haruno-sensei. I would feel very odd addressing you in any other way."

"Well, try it sometime. You might really like it! Have a good night, and see you tomorrow afternoon." Sakura waved as she walked towards the main entrance of the hospital. Kakashi stood before she saw him, and watched as she said her goodbyes to the nurses and administrative staff at the information desk.

"Hey, you." Kakashi said as she approached him, smiling under his mask.

"Hey. How was your afternoon?" she asked as he opened the door for her, not noticing the nurses' gasps and giggles.

"It was fine. A bit long. I had my new team train for a while, then took them to the Memorial Shrine to teach the cocky one a lesson. She wants to be a hero, and I wanted her to learn what a hero is."

"That's a hard lesson for the cocky ones. How did they take it?"

"She took it hard. She started crying and yelled at me for taking her there, and then took off to her home."

"Wow." Sakura said. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to let her be for tonight and try to talk to her tomorrow. I think there is a possibility that she thinks she can't be heroic while alive –- that is how so many people are saved in the village."

"It's a hard lesson for a kid to learn, I suppose: that it is possible to be a hero, but being a hero often requires choosing to sacrifice a lot. If anyone can teach her that, it's you."

Kakashi smiled and twined his fingers with Sakura's as they rounded a corner. "Thanks."

"You're welcome. So, what's the plan for this evening?"

"I thought we could have a private dinner at your house." Kakashi lifted the bag in his other hand so Sakura could see it. "That way, if you feel like showering and relaxing a bit before dinner, you can. And we can talk about some of what you mentioned earlier today without anyone disrupting us."

"That's a good idea. I always like to shower after a day when I help in the coroner's office."

The two continued walking until they got to Sakura's apartment. Once they got into her apartment, Sakura excused herself for a quick shower and Kakashi began to set up their dinner.

When Sakura got out, she cursed herself. She had forgotten her clean clothes in her bedroom. If she used the Body Flicker Technique to get to her room, it would be both a waste of chakra (who used that technique just to travel a few feet?) and Kakashi would sense her and think something was wrong. But if he were to see her moving across the hall, only in a towel…. Sakura hated being embarrassed. Then again, she was in a towel, and he couldn't see anything if she made sure to wrap herself right. And, based on his actions, he would be a gentleman about it, and would turn his back.

Wrapping the towel tight around her frame, Sakura took a deep breath and opened the door leading to the hall. As she started to cross, the door behind her swung closed, catching her towel. Sakura cursed and gasped as the towel began to slip from her body.

"Is everything all right, Sakura?" Kakashi called from the kitchen. Sakura, completely panicked, began to jerk at the towel stuck in the door.

"I'm fine! Just keep cooking, okay?" Sakura yelled back. She tugged at the towel a couple more times, then realized it was caught in the door. She turned the knob and jerked the towel out of the gap, then ran into her room, slamming the door shut behind her. She leaned against the door, breathing deeply and trying to will her cheeks to stop blushing. He didn't see her. He did ask if she was okay, but he let her be and didn't push the matter.

He was so different from other boyfriends she had had. Any one of them would have ignored her request and rushed into the hall to see what was going on, which would have broken her boundary and also would have embarrassed her to no end. Some would have teased her afterwards or tried to turn it into a sexual situation. With Kakashi, she realized she could trust him—not only as a fellow ninja or a trusted teammate, but also as a friend… and maybe as a lover. Maybe he could even be more…

Sakura dried off and quickly got dressed in comfy clothes. As much as she liked Kakashi (and possibly more than liked him), she didn't want to sleep with him just yet. She had to be sure that he would keep respecting her boundaries and wouldn't change into something she didn't like, like some of her other boyfriends had done. Sakura wanted this to work.

 _Sorry I didn't get this posted sooner! Work got hectic and I had final papers and exams to study for, so this got pushed onto my backburner. I promise the next chapter won't take nearly so long to be published. Thank you for your continued support and reviews/favorites/follows._


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Kakashi finished setting the table as Sakura walked back into the dining room/living room area. * He looked up and smiled at her.

"You okay?" he said as she moved some papers off of a chair and sat down.

"Yeah. I just… had a mishap with my towel. I didn't want to accidentally flash you when I moved from the bathroom to the bedroom so I could change." Sakura could feel her cheeks turn pink as Kakashi cocked his head to one side, looking at her inquisitively.

"Ah… Okay. I made some vegetable and shrimp tempura. Don't worry, I cleaned up the mess as I went along."

"Smells great, and thanks for cleaning up." Sakura pulled a plate close, putting some sauce in a small ramekin and adding some of the tempura onto a plate. Kakashi finished putting dishes into the drying rack and then joined her.

"Wow. You must be hungry: I think Choji would be rushing to keep up with you."

"I had a busy day! I'm so hungry."

"I'm pretty hungry, myself. I think I'll join you in digging in."

The pair ate in silence for almost half an hour, until Sakura pushed her plate away.

"Whew! I think I should slow down. If I don't, I'll start getting chunky, and then I'll have to train even more than I already do." She wiped her lips and smiled at Kakashi. Kakashi smiled back over his cup of tea.

"So… I guess I should start this conversation. Um... I've only had four serious boyfriends, but all of the relationships got pretty serious, and deep. I learned a lot about my own boundaries, and a lot about what I need." As Sakura spoke, she watched Kakashi carefully for reactions. If he was uncomfortable, he didn't show it, and he never reached for his ever-present copy of _Icha Icha._ That he was looking at her and listening carefully as he spoke showed his level of commitment, and Sakura's heart swelled a little, though she ignored it. Her heart had led her into mistakes before, and she knew she had to keep her head on straight and to be attentive.

"I'm a bit cautious about pursuing this relationship until I feel like I know what you want, and until you understand that there are some times where I might ignore you because I need to do my job and heal others."

"I understand. The way a shinobi lives can complicate relationships, which is why so many shinobi either never pursue a serious, permanent relationship. Until recently, I never wanted to pursue any relationship whatsoever. I don't like the idea of leaving someone behind with a child, wondering how I died, what I was thinking when I got crushed or stabbed or whatever. I'm cautious about this because I don't want to leave you like that. I know you can handle that possibility – you're one of the strongest people I have ever met – but it would not sit well with me."

"I feel the same way – yes, I work in the hospital a lot, but sometimes I am tasked with joining a dangerous mission, to keep others healed. I could easily die during any one of those missions, and you would be left behind instead of me," Sakura replied.

"Perhaps our mutual caution is a good sign: we both acknowledge and accept the risks of a serious relationship between us."

"I agree with that…" Sakura said thoughtfully. After a moment of silence, Kakashi reached out and gently grasped her hand.

"Sakura… I want you to understand something. As long as we are together, I will be here for you, and when I go on missions, I will fight as hard to return to you as I do to protect the village. I won't leave you alone."

Sakura was so touched. She could hardly believe that the man sitting across from her was being so upfront and so emotionally open with her. When she first met Kakashi, Sakura believed he had no feelings for anyone, and that he was devoid of emotion after seeing and enduring so many horrors as a ninja. She was touched, intrigued, and a bit nervous all at once, and she felt her heart pump just a little faster as he gently squeezed her fingers.

"Thank you. I… I'll do my best not to let work influence our relationship. In the past, I have brought the strain and stress of working in the hospital into a relationship before, and it seemed to cause more problems than it created. I don't want to do that again. I don't want to hurt you like that."

"Okay." Kakashi said, squeezing her fingers once more, and then standing. "I'm going to clean up the last of dinner."

"Okay. When you're done, will you come sit with me on the couch? You don't have to if you don't want to."

"I don't mind. I'll be there in a bit."

Sakura smiled as he went to the kitchen, then stood and walked to the living room. She stood near the couch for a moment, listening to Kakashi wash the dishes, then darted to her bag, which was lying by the front door. She hurriedly dug into it, making more noise than intended, but finding the mints she was looking for. Sakura knew her breath was strong: the garlic sauce Kakashi had made to go with the tempura was wonderful, but it did not fare well for any kissing, and she didn't want to gross Kakashi out. Throwing two mints into her mouth, Sakura quickly crunched down on them and turned – nearly running headlong into Kakashi.

"Shit! You're… you got done quickly…. Um…" Sakura stammered, feeling her cheeks turn red.

"May I have one of those? The garlic sauce was a bit stronger than I intended, and I can't seem to get the taste out of my mouth."

"Oh, of course!" Sakura opened the tin containing the mints and gave him the mint, closing it back up with a snap.

"Thank you," Kakashi said, popping the mint into his mouth, then turning and sitting down at the corner of the couch, propping one arm up on the back. Sakura waited until she thought he was settled, then sat down next to him.

 _Sorry it took me so long to get this published to you guys. I kept going back and forth on how the conversation should go, and got a bit stuck._

 _Now, I am going on vacation in mid-July, so I am going to do my best to get the next chapter published before I go. Please review and favorite, as your support means a lot to me._


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

After Sakura sat down, Kakashi brought his arm around her shoulder, and gently took one of her hands in his. She smiled up at him.

"So… I have a question. It's a bit personal: do you mind?" Kakashi said.

"I don't mind at all. Ask me."

"How long ago did you have a serious partner?"

"About six months. The relationship only lasted a year, though." Sakura replied. "How long ago was your last relationship?"

"I was about twenty. It didn't last long either; she was a civilian and she had a hard time with the shinobi way of life."

Sakura was surprised. She wasn't sure what she had expected, but she felt surprised just the same. Surprised at Kakashi's honesty and at his personal history. She had expected him to be secretive or careful when talking about his romantic past, and she had also expected him to have a large number of lovers.

"Is that why you read so much _Icha Icha_?" she teased him.

"No, I've just never been very good at dating," Kakashi admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "I've been told that I give too much of my time to the village and not enough to my significant other, if I am with someone."

"That doesn't bother me. I've been told I give too much time to the hospital and to medical runs to the smaller settlements outside of Konoha."

"Medical runs?"

"Oh, once a week I and some other medic-nin take medical supplies to small settlements, like farms and small towns outside of Konoha. They are mostly bandages and other first-aid supplies, but it's hard for the people living in those areas to step away from their families and responsibilities, and sometimes they get hurt by enemies of our village. It's our way of helping out when and where we can."

Kakashi was amazed. He knew Sakura had a reputation of going out of her way to helping people, but to take weekly day trips to help those who couldn't easily help themselves was so kind, and that sort of kindness was rare.

"You're an exceptional woman, Sakura. You always put others ahead of you—complete strangers, sometimes, when you don't have to."

"Don't you do the same thing, Kakashi? I mean, you taught us that giving our lives to the village is the most honorable thing we could ever do, and you have given your life to the village. I do the same thing, just medically speaking, as opposed to fighting—not, not that I wouldn't fight, I mean—I mean….um…" Sakura's nerves began to get the better of her, and she could feel her cheeks start turning pink. Why did she always get so flustered and dumb around the guys she was interested in?

"Sakura, you've fought many times for the village before. You worked to keep people healed, too. Both of those are noble to me," Kakashi said, smiling. "You're exceptional because you help people without them asking you for help. It's rare in this day and age, especially after all the recent wars."

"Thank you. I just like to help people, especially in terms of medical needs," Sakura replied, her blush deepening as Kakashi reached up and lowered his mask slightly. Sakura had seen under his mask long before he first kissed her just a day or so ago: many times in the past, he had been badly injured in a fight and she needed to clean him up, often taking his clothes off so she could clean and heal the wounds underneath. However, she never really stopped to study his face or other parts of his body, as she was more interested in healing him over checking his goods out.

Now that she had the chance to look at him, she was dumbstruck. Despite the scar that stretched from the left side of his forehead and down onto his left cheek, his face had a natural angular handsomeness to it, with strong cheekbones and a sturdy jawbone. His smile touched his right eye, just in the corner. His lips looked soft, and Sakura noticed that they were moving closer to her. She closed her eyes as his lips met hers, and she sighed, because Kakashi's lips were indeed as soft as they looked.

She leaned into the kiss, moving closer to Kakashi and leaning against his chest. After several moments of kissing, Sakura lifted her arms and wrapped them around her shoulder, draping her legs over his knees as she sat on Kakashi's lap. Kakashi wrapped his own arms around her, lightly running his fingers up and down her arms lightly, and causing goosebumps to rise on Sakura's arms. Sakura moaned lightly, opening her mouth and urging Kakashi to kiss her more deeply. After a moment, Kakashi took the invitation, and their tongues met, the freshness from their previously eaten mints making the kiss pop. His hands came up from her arms, and he took her face gently in them, cradling her face in his hands.

There was a sudden, sharp series of raps at the door. Kakashi hesitated, then pulled back, opening his eyes at the same time Sakura did.

"Who is it?" Sakura called, slowly moving her arms from around Kakashi. She didn't want to let go just yet.

The front door opened, startling the couple. Ino came in, looking disheveled.

"Ino!" Sakura squealed, hopping off of Kakashi's lap. "When I ask 'Who is it,' you're not supposed to come in."

"Oh, please. I walked in on you and Sasuke after you gave your virginity to him, and you and I have seen each other naked hundreds of times since we were kids! Quit being so prudish. Lady Tsunade is looking for you. Seems pretty serious, so I would hide whatever hickeys you need to hide and get your butt in gear, Forehead."

"We don't have—ugh, whatever. Go tell her I am on my way."

"Fine. See you later." Ino turned and left, closing the door loudly behind her. Sakura stood awkwardly next to Kakashi, who was still sitting on the couch.

"Sorry about that. My best friend doesn't know what's good for her, sometimes. So rude!" Sakura turned from him, trying to hide her embarrassment. How could Ino just blurt something out like that? Especially with knowing that she and Kakashi were romantically involved!

"Its okay. It sounds like Lady Tsunade needs your assistance pretty badly. If you'd like, I can go with you and wait, then walk you back home when you are done." Kakashi was very irritated with Ino's rudeness, but he didn't want Sakura to think he was mad about it. Things just happened in the ninja world, and sometimes a shinobi had to drop everything in their lives and jump.

"Are you sure? I mean… there's a good chance that it will be a long time to wait. I don't want to make you wait for me."

Kakashi smiled and stood, taking one of her hands in his. "I have no problem with waiting for you." He squeezed her fingers and kissed her forehead, and Sakura felt the butterflies in her belly do a flip.

"Okay… Um, let me get my work clothes on and grab my gear and we can get going."

"That sounds fine to me."

Sakura went into her bedroom and quickly go dressed, making sure to grab her medical kit and notebook as she went. She wondered briefly why Tsunade needed her assistance: it wasn't uncommon for her to be called in for any number of medical emergencies or mysteries, but there hadn't been any reports of anyone suddenly becoming ill or having an accident lately. She left her bedroom and joined Kakashi near the front door, hoping that the issue didn't keep her from Kakashi too long.

"Okay, I'm ready."

"Let's get going," Kakashi said, opening the door and holding it for her.

"Thank you."

 _I'm hoping this chapter makes up for any issues last chapter. I'm heading for California tomorrow, so I have been working hard the last two days to get this done and to get ready for my trip. Please review, favorite, and follow: your support means a lot to me!_


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

When Kakashi and Sakura arrived at Hokage Tower, Might Guy was standing in front, talking to a messenger.

"…Another place you might try is—ah, speak of the devil! Never mind, young man. Kakashi is right in front of us!"

Kakashi looked at Guy, surprised. "What do you need me for, Guy? Another contest?"

"While I would love to continue wiping the floor with you in any contest on this earth, it is not I who needs you! The Lady Hokage was looking for you about twenty minutes ago."

"Tsunade-sensei needs both of us? What happened?" Sakura said, beginning to feel concerned.

Guy looked at her, and his normally jovial face changed into a serious one. "No one died. Someone could have died, though. Come on, they've been waiting long enough."

Guy, Kakashi, and Sakura walked into Hokage Tower and quickly made their way to Lady Tsunade's office. Naruto was pacing the hallway outside, and looked pale and anxious. He had a large bruise forming on one cheek. Sasuke was leaning against the wall, stoic and silent, but watching his best friend carefully. The door to Tsunade's office opened, and Shizune poked her head out.

"My lady says you can come in if you stay calm and sit with Hinata, Naruto. Ah, Sakura and Kakashi, just in time. Come on in."

As Sakura walked into the office and took her seat, she looked around. She saw Hinata sitting in the corner. Her face was bruised and the front of her shirt was torn. She also looked very tired, and she shakily sipped water from a glass as Naruto sat down and took her hand, using his other hand to gently caress her face.

"Sakura, Kakashi, thank you both for coming. There has been a series of attacks recently in the evenings on young women, specifically those who have gone into bars and clubs. Sakura, as you know, the young women you helped autopsy today were victims of the group responsible."

"They are a group?" Sakura said, doing her best to keep her concern for Hinata in check until Tsunade was finished talking to her and Kakashi.

"Yes. Hinata was on her way home from a mission outside of Konoha village limits and she stopped at one of the local bars for a glass of water. She was accosted by this group. Hinata, are you still okay to give Kakashi and Sakura your testimony?"

"Yes. I stopped by the Shinobi Bar for a glass of water. While I was inside the bar, a male ninja started talking to me. He kept leaning in and crowding me, even after I told him I was engaged. I went to the bathroom, and when I returned, the bartender had poured my water out and the man who was trying to talk to me was gone. The bartender informed me that he had him thrown out after he saw me break a capsule into my water. I thanked him and left, because I wanted to get home quickly. A few blocks from mine and Naruto's house, I heard voices behind me. Three men came out from behind a building, and I heard one of them say "This is the one Ichiro was talking about, right? Dark hair, big…." Hinata paused, blushing.

After a moment, Hinata continued. "…Big tits? I heard the second one say yes, and that was when I summoned a couple of shadow clones behind them. We struggled, and I broke loose and ran under a light in front of a house. A nice lady saw me from one of the windows and came out to help me. By the time she got out, they were gone. I sent a clone with a message to Naruto, who picked me up and escorted me here."

"Thank you, Hinata. Now, Kakashi, you were asked to canvas one of the more popular clubs the night before last. Did you see anything suspicious?"

"No, but I did hear the name 'Ichiro' a couple of times. I kept an eye on all drinks, but I didn't see anything being put into them." Kakashi turned to Sakura. "What kinds of drugs were found during the autopsies?"

"Well, in both victims, I found trace amounts of gamma hydroxybutyric, which is a very common date rape drug."

"You don't say." Kakashi said dryly.

"Sorry- medics and scientists use the acronym GHB for short. It's also known as Energy Drink, Easy Lay, Cherry Meth, or Liquid E."

Naruto looked up and finally broke his uncharacteristic silence. "Sakura, what could this shit have done to Hinata? I mean, what are these dicks putting into innocent girls' drinks?"

"Well, common symptoms are feelings of relaxation, drowsiness, and dizziness. The individual being drugged can also experience black outs, tremors, problems breathing, low heart rate, and significant memory loss. It's usually used as a date rape drug because it acts very quickly and is easy for the user to manufacture it on their own. It's also highly potent, which means that if someone takes too much, it can result in seizures, coma, and death."

"You were very lucky, Hinata. I'm taking you off the mission roster for a few days, so you can relax and recover. Next time you come back from a mission, make sure you have one of your team members walk you home, or that you have Naruto come pick you up. I also want you to try and be with someone when you are moving around in Konoha for a month or so, as these sick individuals have seen you," Tsunade told Hinata firmly. "I also want you to talk to a therapist or counselor about what happened. Don't argue with me: I know you're still shaken about the incident, and I think talking about it to someone will help ease your nerves."

"What else will be done? I mean, we're not gonna let these assholes just go after girls all over Konoha, are we? We have to do something!" Naruto interjected, a note of panic in his voice. Sasuke unfolded his arms and put a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"Calm down, idiot. I'm sure Lady Hokage has a plan for dealing with these criminals," Sasuke told him.

"Of course. I would never let Konoha's people fall victim to any criminals, let alone monsters like these. Naruto, please take Hinata home for the night. Once she is settled, return here and you, Sasuke, Kakashi, Sakura, and I will all sit down and formulate a plan. Sasuke, Kakashi, I want you two to accompany Sakura to the coroner's office to pick up her reports, as well as the Leaf Police Force. When you get there, ask about reports regarding any forms of assault or harassment in and around all bars and clubs in Konoha. Also tell them that I have an order for more patrols around those businesses, to keep the public safe."

Everyone nodded and went their separate ways to complete their tasks. Sakura, Sasuke, and Kakashi were quiet on the way to the hospital. _I hope Naruto lets Hinata rest tonight. She needs to eat something and get some sleep, and Naruto has a tendency to be a bit overbearing when he is stressed out about someone,_ Sakura thought to herself. _I should contact Ino and Tenten to make sure they aren't alone when they go out in the next few weeks. They're both strong and smart, but these monsters seem pretty organized, based on what Hinata said. I don't want to see anyone else get hurt, especially not any of my friends._

"Sasuke, did Naruto seem subdued to you?" Kakashi said, startling Sakura out of her thoughts. She had nearly forgotten that Kakashi was walking beside her.

"Before you two arrived, he wasn't. He was yelling and throwing things around, insistent that we get a big group of people together and hunt the bastards down tonight. It took a smack from Lady Tsunade to shut him up, he was so worked up."

"Is that where the bruise came from? Sakura inquired.

"Yes. She hit him very hard – he crashed into me. I held him down and made him take a couple of breaths. Then Hinata-san reminded him that she was safe in front of him, and that everything was fine. Lady Tsunade chased us out so the two of them could talk. I think she was concerned about Hinata-san's mental and emotional health."

"It was good you were there to sit with him," Sakura told him.

"I suppose. He wasn't totally wrong with what he wanted to do, however. When we start our meeting, I am going to suggest that those of us who are not on duty and are in full health can patrol the village and watch for these people. I also plan on patrolling the village on the way home this evening."

"That is a good idea. I was thinking of sending out some reminders to the local bartenders to keep an eye out for anyone putting suspicious pills into drinks, and to offer free basic self-defense lessons to any civilians who need it."

Kakashi smiled at his former students. "You two have some great ideas on how to keep the citizens of Konoha safe."

"Thank you, Kakashi-sensei," Sasuke replied as the trio stopped in front of the hospital and Sakura found her keys to the front door. "Sakura-san, do you need us to go in with you?"

"No, thank you, Sasuke. It'll only take me about ten minutes to get the files. I'll be right back out and we'll be on our way."

Both Sasuke and Kakashi nodded at her as she went into the front door of the hospital. Because it was nearly midnight, the hospital itself was fairly quiet, save for the occasional beeping of machines and quiet discussions between the various personnel who were on duty that evening. Sakura made her way to her office quickly. She stepped into her office, turned on the light, and opened the bottom drawer of her desk to grab the files. She heard the office door close and paused. The door was far too heavy to swing shut on its own, or to close as the result of a strong wind. Perhaps a nurse closed it as they were passing by; if this were the case, why would they leave the light on?

"Don't bother hiding, nosy bitch. We can hear you breathing. Just hand over the files, and maybe we'll be nice to you."

Sakura stood slowly, the desk between herself and her aggressors. There were two of them, both about six feet tall and well-muscled. Their faces were covered, but Sakura was certain she would recognize their voices if she had to. Sakura felt her blood pressure begin to rise, and her heart to beat faster as one of them locked the door and moved closer to her, making his way around the desk.

"Come on, don't make this tougher than you want it to be. If you cooperate, maybe we'll be nice and let you go."

"I'm not giving you anything. Leave this hospital, now, and I won't press charges or cause you majorly bodily harm."

The one that stayed by the door laughed and turned off the light, plunging all three of them into darkness. Sakura dropped the files onto the floor and immediately moved into a defensive stance, making sure to listen for her assailants. She heard movement to her left and grabbed her office chair and swung it, hitting something hard and yelling loudly. She heard the man grunt and grab the chair, wrenching it out of her grip. She screamed, trying to move away without backing herself into a corner. The other man grabbed her in a bear hug from behind. She started to wiggle, quickly getting her feet under her, with one behind her attacker's leg. She bent down hard and flipped her arms up, elbows sticking up and forcing the man behind her to let her go. She then grabbed his leg and stepped backwards, knocking him off balance in the process. The office door burst open, and two orderlies rushed in to help her.

 _Hello all! I am back from vacation, and this is the official chapter just before school starts. For me, school starts next week. I might be really busy, but I am going to do my best to update this story when I can. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and will see you in the next one. Also, thank you for all the reviews, follows, and favorites. If you have any questions or comments regarding some of the heavy stuff in this chapter, like the date rape information, please feel free to message me or leave a review._

 _It was really weird to look up that drug information. I half expected someone to start asking me about why I was looking it up and what I was planning…. I wonder if all writers feel this way when they look up less than legal issues and intensely complicated subjects._


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"What do you mean there weren't any visitor sign-in sheets when you got to work tonight?" Tsunade demanded. "If there weren't sign-in sheets, why didn't you go print more of them? It's part of your job: making sure that all individuals walking into those doors who don't work for the hospital are signed in on that sheet."

"I'm sorry!" the receptionist wailed, wiping her eyes and hiccupping. "I didn't think it was that important."

Sakura stepped forward, putting a hand on Tsunade's arm, preventing her from unloading on the young woman again. "It's important because we need to know who is in and out of the hospital, to keep ourselves and our patients safe. Some of our patients are important in the ninja world, and have had assassins sent after them. That is why we all have lanyards with I.D.s on them, so we know who works for the hospital and who doesn't. I was lucky those orderlies came in when they did. If you had made sure those guys had signed in like you were supposed to, we would know who they were."

"O-okay. Um…I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

"Good. Now, go clean yourself up, and get back to work."

The receptionist nodded and walked quickly to the bathroom. Tsunade looked at Sakura disapprovingly.

"Really? You're letting her off that easily? I would have booted her ass if she was that irresponsible."

"I know." Sakura told her calmly "She's recognized her mistakes, and no one was injured. Unfortunately, the assholes who tried to jump me got away, but that woman will be so careful and serious about her job, she'll be a much better employee for the hospital."

"I suppose," Tsunade sniffed with irritation. "Do you still have the files?"

Sakura held the papers up so Tsunade could see them. "Yeah, I dropped them when they jumped me so they couldn't see the papers. I want a quick word with hospital security before I head back to Hokage Towers. Where are Sasuke and Kakashi?

"I saw them waiting at the receptionist's desk when I came in. I don't think they know you were attacked in your office yet."

"Okay. I'll meet them there and we'll come back together, so we can work out a plan to keep the girls in Konoha safe, and stop these assholes from hurting anyone else."

Sakura met with hospital security and described the incident and the two guys who attacked her, then went to the receptionist area. When she got there, Kakashi was pacing, and Sasuke was leaning against the wall. Kakashi stopped his pacing and went to her as soon as she got close to him.

"What happened? We saw the Hokage, and then the nurses told us there was an incident, but wouldn't give us any details."

"I was jumped in my office by two guys. Some orderlies came in and helped me before anything got too violent, though. I think the guys who jumped me are part of this date-rape drug gang. I'm okay, and I still have the coroner's reports."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Kakashi asked her in a low voice, running his arms up and down Sakura's gently. "I'm sure the Hokage would let you go home instead of taking part in the meeting tonight."

"I'm fine, Kakashi. Besides, I took part in these autopsies, and I had an encounter with some of the guys involved. I know a bit about them, and that will help us make an effective plan against them."

"She's right, Kakashi," Sasuke said.

"…As long as you're comfortable with it, I suppose," Kakashi said after a moment. "Let's get going."

The trio left the hospital and walked to Hokage Tower. They didn't say much along the way, but after they got there they joined Naruto and Tsunade and got right down to work. After a few hours, they made an effective plan: off-duty ninja would patrol Konoha and its bars and clubs at night, unless they were on medical leave, had children or other family members to care for, or had another pressing matter to deal with.

Kakashi, Sakura, and Sasuke would head the mission and give orders, as well as report to Tsunade, and all three of them would talk to some of the citizens in business owners in the area to try and work out if anyone had seen anything odd, or knew about what was going on. Sakura wrote out some announcements regarding safety and the situation, which would be passed out to the bars and clubs, and would also be posted all over Konoha to make sure everyone in Konoha could read them and then take their own measures at being safe. After a long night, the meeting was declared over, with a promise to reconvene in a week's time.

Kakashi insisted on walking Sakura home, and held her hand the entire way. When they got to her front door, Sakura leaned back against the door and faced him, making sure to hold both of his hands in hers, close to her chest.

"I would invite you in, but I'm a bit tired. Is that okay?" Sakura asked him, staring at their joined hands. One of his hands moved to under her chin, gently pushing it up until she was looking at him.

"Why would it not be okay? I'm tired, too," Kakashi said.

"I just wanted to make sure. We were having a pretty good time before Ino barged in on us." Sakura responded, blushing slightly at the memory.

"True." Kakashi said thoughtfully before kissing her forehead lightly. "Perhaps it wasn't a bad thing, though. We were starting to get a bit intense, and we have just started going out. From what I remember, it's better to have a relationship go slow early on, regardless of how well the people that make up the relationship know one another."

"I suppose…." Sakura grumbled, pushing her lower lip out and pouting at Kakashi. He looked down at her for a moment, then pulled down his mask and bent his neck and kissed her, making a point to suck on her lower lip slightly. Sakura gasped, and started kissing him back, wrapping an arm around him and pulling him closer. After a few moments of deep kissing and heavy breathing, Kakashi broke the kiss and pulled away. He kept holding her hand, however, and smiled down at her.

"You said you were tired. I think it's a good idea to continue this another time, don't you?"

"Sure," Sakura said sweetly. "When?"

Kakashi laughed. "Why don't we start out with another date? Maybe dinner, Friday night?"

"It's Monday night, Kakashi," Sakura whined playfully. "I don't wanna wait that long."

"You might enjoy it more, if we wait a bit longer. Besides, we both have a busy week, and a date is a great way to welcome the weekend."

"…Okay, okay. If it's what you want." Sakura said, smiling at him.

"Sleep well, Sakura," Kakashi said, kissing her once more and finally pulling away, breaking physical contact with her.

"You too, Kakashi. See you later."

The next morning, Sakura went to work, stopping by the coffee shop at the corner to pick up her usual large coffee and blueberry muffin.

"Hey, Forehead!" Ino said loudly. "How are you?"

Sakura turned away from Ino, after giving her a dirty look.

"What? What the hell's up with you?"

"If you don't know why I'm pissed at you, you're an idiot, Ino," Sakura told her, sipping her hot coffee.

"What? Oh, come on, stop walking and talk to me. Sakura, don't be a bitch!"

"What, I can't be pissed that you walked in on me and Kakashi in an intimate moment and then spewed a bunch of stuff about my past? Seriously?"

"…Okay… shit, I didn't really think about it. I'm sorry, Sakura. Did Kakashi freak?"

"No… we didn't talk about it because we had to go to Hokage Tower right away. Some assholes attacked Hinata last night, and we think they've been drugging girls and then raping and killing them. They didn't hurt Hinata, luckily, but it's still a big deal."

"Wow. Is that what the orders from Lady Tsunade are about? Anyone who is not on duty and is in good condition and stuff going on patrol to make sure everyone is safe?"

"Yeah. We want to get a handle on this situation, fast. Be safe when you go out and dance, and let everyone else know, okay?"

"Sure. I'm sorry, Sakura. I didn't mean to embarrass you."

"… It's okay. Heading to the flower shop?"

"Yeah," Ino said. "Mom wants me to say goodbye more often before I head out on a mission, so that's why I'm going."

"Okay. Listen, have your mom hand out some of these safety flyers, okay? We want every citizen to know they need to be safe, especially the women," Sakura said, giving her the papers.

"Right. Hey, when I get back, you gotta update me on you and Kakashi, okay?"

"Fine, fine… Be safe, Ino-pig." Sakura gave her friend a hug.

"Always, Sakura!"

The two parted ways, and Sakura moved on to the hospital, ready to face the day.

 _Hello, all. Sorry it took me a bit longer than last time to update this story: school and work keep me pretty busy, and I've had my first weekend that doesn't have much homework in several weeks. I hope this chapter is satisfactory to you. I also had a really frustrating situation where the flash-drive that had this chapter on it died, and I had to start over._

 _To my anonymous guest who gave me a lot to think about: You said that you felt the relationship Sakura was developing with Kakashi was awkward and forced, and that they wouldn't have been talking about relationship boundaries and stuff so early in the relationship, and that Kakashi would have already known about her past relationships._

 _To an extent, I agree with you: part of me feels that I should have had Sakura notice things more and more about Kakashi and the way he is around her over time. That being said, I don't agree that Kakashi would have known much about her past romantic relationships: he may have known she was dating, and may have met one or both of her boyfriends at some point. I don't think he would have known about what the relationships were like, however, unless he was asked to step in, or felt the need to step in on Sakura's behalf. I feel that, while it might be a little awkward for them to talk about boundaries to early in the relationship, they are both wanting this relationship to be successful, and therefore want to set it up right, by setting up the relationship on a good track and talking about boundaries, instead of breaking boundaries they don't know about and getting hurt in the process/ hurting one another in the process._

 _Lastly, I understand that them making out and being very handsy seems odd and awkward, I see both Sakura and Kakashi as very passionate people, and that their combined passion would make it difficult to be reserved about being physical, particularly for Sakura._

 _Thank you so much for taking time out to write out this constructive review/criticism, and I hope you continue to read on. If you don't want to continue reading this story, that is fine, and I hope you enjoy the next story I publish._

 _To all of my readers: I know I have had a rocky history in terms of responding to reviews, but I plan on changing that. Please favorite and review, and I hope you enjoy the story._


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Sakura stepped out of the small classroom, shaking her head slightly as Tsunade took her place within. The two women were there to oversee and teach in the new medical program at the hospital: any and all medical-nin who were qualified could take classes. These classes were designed to show how a medical-nin could temporarily tend to possibly fatal wounds sustained by their comrades during missions. The wounds could be attended to and, once the mission was complete and the shinobi came back to the village.

The program would be going well… if it weren't for the squeamish and immature in the class. Sakura had been trying to show the students how to remove shrapnel from explosives from near the base of the spine, without damaging the spine itself and risking partial or complete body paralysis. Unfortunately, Sakura had several squeamish students, who had difficulty looking at the cadaver, and had a couple of kids who were making childish and tasteless jokes. Sakura tried to talk to the jokers and they had quieted down some (she planned on talking to their team leaders, just to make sure they understood that the class was not a laughing matter), but the squeamish students were a little harder to work with, so she decided to call in Tsunade, knowing the Hokage would be able to speak from experience regarding the problem of squeamishness and needing to still carry out one's medical duties.

While Sakura always had difficulty with seeing her comrades and loved ones injured, she rarely felt faint or sick at the sight of a wound, and she felt she did not have the proper experience to help those students, so she called in Tsunade. She knew Tsunade would more than likely be a while, if not take the rest of the classes' time to discuss the issue, so she wrote the homework and readings she wanted the students to complete for the next class and left the room. She stayed outside, in case Tsunade finished early, and decided to take the time and eat her lunch while she looked at a couple of magazines and ads for local women's shops. Kakashi had sent a message on Wednesday and told her that on Friday, he would be taking her out to a nice restaurant. She got so excited that she immediately decided to take Friday afternoon off, so she had plenty of time to get ready. Still, Sakura wanted to shop for something new, a dress she knew she would look good in and that Kakashi had not seen her in before.

Sakura idly flipped through the ads for the new shops, having found nothing in the magazines that peaked her interest. She sighed after a moment, folding the ads and magazines up and putting them into her bag. Nothing really sparked her interest, but it was always hard to tell how a dress would fit on a girl when looking at flat images. She would have to get out and shop for it. She closed her bag and resumed eating her sandwich. Sakura debated briefly on whether she should take Ino or one of her other girlfriends along. While a friend made shopping more fun, she didn't always like the way most of her girlfriends looked at her when she was trying a new garment on, like they were seeing a flaw and trying to be nice about it. Then there was Ino: Sakura loved her best friends' forwardness, except when it came to assessing her body or how a dress looked on Sakura. Ino was a little too honest, and had no problem telling Sakura like it was… sometimes hurting Sakura's feelings in the process.

Sakura thought hard, playing with her chopsticks idly. "Bring Ino or anther girlfriend, or go alone?" she said to herself, flipping the chopsticks in the air a couple of times.

"What was that, Sakura?" Tsunade suddenly said to her, making Sakura jump in her seat.

"Oh, Tsunade-sama! I didn't realize it was time for class to end. I'm sorry."

"Its fine. The brats know what they need to do for their next class. Now, what did you say?"

"Oh, I was talking to myself. I have this date tonight, and I am trying to decide on whether I should get a new dress or go with something I already have."

"Hmm. Interesting." Tsunade said vaguely. Sakura smiled up at her.

"I know, Tsunade-sama. This kind of thing doesn't interest you, not really. It's just that… I want to make a good impression on someone who already knows me well, an impression that I can be sexy and romantic, but not slutty or desperate."

Tsunade rolled her eyes. "Sakura, if this person already knows you, you probably don't need to impress them that much. Wear something comfortable. If you want to be sexy, wear fancy underwear underneath and get them into your bed later. Who is this guy, anyway? You're not dating some lazy bum, are you?"

"Um… well, he's a good person, and has strong beliefs and loves the village," Sakura told her, trying not to tell her current mentor that she was dating her first teacher outside of the academy. She wasn't too concerned regarding Tsunade's reaction to the news, but her new, romantic relationship with Kakashi, but she felt the relationship was too new for everyone to know all about it, just yet.

"Hm. Well, don't let him make you change or act like you're his mother, okay?" Tsunade told her, staring into Sakura's face with the same intensity as when she first told her about the pros and cons of the Strength of a Hundred Seal. "You deserve to be spoiled and respected just as much as he does."

"Yes, ma'am." Sakura kept her face serious, and tried not to blush. She always felt a little on-the-spot when Tsunade got serious like this. The nervous side of her wanted to laugh it off or make a joke, but she knew that would land her in some very hot water with her mentor. Tsunade understood nervousness, but liked to be taken seriously, and Sakura did not want to hurt her feelings or piss her off. She was a loving woman, but could be harsh when hurt.

"Good. You have a good time, and don't stress too much about how you look. You're a beautiful, smart woman, Sakura," Tsunade told her, with a deep and sincere gentle tone to her voice. She lifted one hand, and gently ran her hand through Sakura's hair and then down her cheek, pushing the pink locks back slightly, as though a mother would her child. Sakura smiled and leaned into Tsunade, giving her a brief hug.

"I will. Thank you."

Tsunade nodded against Sakura's shoulder, then moved away from her, nodding.

"Very good. See you later, and be safe."

Without saying goodbye, Tsunade walked away from Sakura. Sakura smiled at her mentor's back, and went home to get ready for her date with Kakashi.

 _Okay, I realize this is very late and a bit short, but I got writer's block over most of Christmas, and then school started up again and… I'm just a mess sometimes. XD_

 _Anyway, I plan on getting more done with this story, and I plan on writing more in general in this new year. Hope you all had good holidays, and have a happy Valentine's Day (for like, fifteen more minutes here…)_


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

 _So… I'm sorry for not updating this story since February. Life got caught up on me, and I just let this project get swept to the wayside. Even when life settled and I tried to return to this project, I kept getting writer's block for this story and had a tough time working out where to go with it. This time, I won't make a promise I can't keep. I'm not sure when I will be updating this story, but it will be updated. Thank you for reading, and please favorite, review, follow, etc. Also, visit my profile page for the link to my Tumblr, where I have been writing a lot!_

Sakura looked up from her book for what seemed the hundredth time. Kakashi was supposed to have picked her up nearly an hour ago, and yet he still hadn't made it to her apartment. She didn't expect him to be on time, exactly, but she was hoping he wouldn't be this late in getting to her apartment. It was so hard to be patient, sometimes…

As she looked back to the book, there was a tap on the door. She quickly slipped her shoes on and stood, running her hands down the simple black dress she wore to remove any creases. Sakura then grabbed her purse, walked to the door, and pulled it open.

Kakashi stood there, looking slightly disheveled and irritated. His hair was drooping in odd places, he was sweating slightly, and his front was soaked in muddy water. Sakura blinked for a moment, then stepped back, silently beckoning him to come into the apartment.

"Sorry I'm late and such a mess. It's been a bad day. Do you mind if I freshen up in your bathroom before we go?"

"Not at all. What happened?" Sakura replied, charmed and amused by his honesty and frustration. She led him to the bathroom. Kakashi closed the door behind him, and Sakura remained in the hall, waiting.

"Well, I took a mission that I thought was going to be a simple message delivery to one of the local townships, about an hour out of Konoha. As it turned out, there were a number of traffic issues, thanks to heavy rains yesterday and the day before. I got splattered by this huge cart that was going by extremely quickly, and when I got to the township, they wanted me to help in catching a thief, which turned out to be a teen boy who was bored. When I caught him, his mother scolded him for an hour and then made him go clean out a cattle barn by himself."

"Ouch," Sakura said, wincing. "How was the trip back to the village?"

"I got splattered again. I managed to snag a pair of clean pants from a clothing store just before it closed for the night. I'm almost done."

"Okay."

A moment later, the door opened. Kakashi stepped out of the bathroom, clean pants on and dirty pants in a bag he held in his hand. He also wore a worn black leather jacket, his hair was combed back into place, and he looked a lot more calm and relaxed, compared to his expression when Sakura had opened her front door.

"Much better," he said. "Would you mind if we dropped these pants off at my apartment on the way to the restaurant?"

"Not at all."

The pair left Sakura's apartment and walked to Kakashi's, holding hands. It was a beautiful Friday evening, as the stormy weather that had taken over the area throughout the week had cleared, and the couple could see the stars. It had been a warm, sunny Friday, and the heat and humidity of the day was slow to leave. Even so, there was slight breeze, which cut the humidity and made the air pleasant and fresh. They could hear the buzz of the Friday night crowd in the restaurants and bars that they walked by, but the noise did not irritate either Sakura or Kakashi.

After Kakashi dropped his pants off at his apartment, the couple made their way to the restaurant Kakashi chose for their date. It was a small eatery which specialized in tempura and kebabs. It was intimate and located on a side street, which made the eatery seem romantic and special, set aside just for their date. Sakura and Kakashi walked in and were quickly seated, the waiter taking their drink orders right away.

"This is one of my favorite places to eat. For how busy it is, the place is always quiet, the food is delicious, and the staff are always polite," Kakashi said, opening the menu.

"I've heard its good, but never really thought to come here. What is your favorite dish?" Sakura inquired.

"I like the scallop and asparagus tempura and the beef with peppers kebab best. The sake here is nice, and complements just about everything, too."

Sakura hummed in response, scanning over the description of the dishes. She could smell some of the tempura from a nearby table, and she tried to ignore her stomach growling long enough to decide.

The server came and brought them the drinks they had ordered, then took their food orders and left them to wait.

"So how was your week?" Kakashi asked, fiddling with his chopsticks idly.

"Not bad. The Lady Hokage and I started a series of classes at the Academy. We hope to teach the next generation of ninja how important it is to learn basic medical skills. This way the teams can handle injuries and other medical issues when there are no hospitals or clinics nearby, like when they are traveling."

"That's an excellent idea. There will be less injuries that are badly treated during long trips, and having ninja trained in medical skills would help their teammates learn to rely on the medic, and the team itself would grow stronger as a result."

"Exactly!" Sakura said. "The program has had a lot of the students taking interest in the program, particularly those who do not come from a clan, or who come from small clans that are not well known. Most of the students have shown interest in medical information and the application of medical knowledge as well."

"That's always good," Kakashi said. "Nothing worse than trying to teach students something new when they aren't interested or refuse to show their interest."

"Heh, yeah. You had a lot of that, as a team leader?" Sakura teased, remembering how much she and the boys of Team Seven drove Kakashi crazy. She leaned forward subconsciously, waiting for his response.

"Well, not so much from certain female members of my team. More from the boys in the team, when they were young. I remember a lesson in proper chakra-based tree climbing and walking. The girl was attentive and quick to learn, but the boys… they got wrapped up in some silly competition between the pair of them and took much longer to learn the lesson itself." Kakashi leaned forward, and one of his hands stretched out, fingers gently grazing the knuckles of Sakura's right hand.

"Sounds like typical preteen boys," Sakura said, smirking. "And to be fair, the girl was fairly distracted by one of those boys. She was silly herself, and thought one of the boys was going to be a great hero and leader, and could do no wrong."

Before Kakashi could respond, the server appeared with their food. They both sat back to let the server put down the plates, thanked them, and began eating. For several minutes, the pair ate in silence. Then, Kakashi swallowed his food, took a small sip of his sake, and smiled at Sakura.

"You know, you've come a long way since then. You're not a little girl anymore; you're a young woman who knows her boundaries and what she deserves in life. You help people with everything you can. You kick ass in fights and look amazing while doing it, and you never give up. You're admirable."

With every word Kakashi uttered, Sakura could feel her cheeks flush and goosebumps on her arms rise. She had never heard a man speak so kindly, so passionately about her. Just Kakashi's tone was sweet and full of intensity and adoration. Sakura was touched and flattered.

"Thank you," she said, her voice just above a whisper.

The pair ate in silence, Sakura and Kakashi both trying to make their hearts slow in beats. Kakashi desperately hoped his outpour of admiration to Sakura didn't make him seem clingy, and Sakura felt so touched by his words that she desperately tried to think of something to say back. Her emotions and racing mind failing, she finally looked up and met Kakashi's eye, then reached out and entwined her fingers in his. He smiled widely beneath his mask. The smile went beyond his lips, however, and Sakura could see it twinkling in his eye. The blush in her cheeks grew deeper, and the couple sat staring at one another for what seemed like an eon.

"Um… Would you like to try one of our desserts tonight?" the waiter said lamely, not wanting to disrupt the moment.

"Oh!" Sakura exclaimed, startled. She drew her fingers away from Kakashi hesitantly, not quite ready to break contact. "I'm, um… I'm good."

"No. We'd just like the check please," Kakashi said politely. Inside, he was fighting frustration. Why couldn't the waiter have left them be for just a few minutes?

After the waiter dropped off their checks, and Kakashi surprised Sakura by paying, the couple left the restaurant and began walking, holding hands and not talking much.

Soon, they found themselves in a wooded area. They were still in Konoha, but the area had been allowed to grow into a nice nature spot, so that local children could play and pretend they were in the rough, wild woods that surrounded Konoha on all sides. The area was large and was calm and serene at night. The couple could hear crickets in the grass and bushes around them, and Sakura thought she saw an owl swooping into the branches above their heads.

The couple stopped for a moment near a fallen log, which was overgrown with moss. Kakashi carefully tested the strength of the log with his food for a moment, then gently laid his jacket down on it, and motioned for Sakura to sit. Once she was comfortable, Kakashi joined her, casually laying his arm across her shoulders. She turned her face to him, and saw him bring his mask down slowly as he watched her move. Sakura knew he was watching her movements and trying to gauge how she felt about him. She moved closer, bringing her body to his, and she drew her eyes up to meet his. They stared at one another for a moment, breathing in the same air. Then, Kakashi's arm on Sakura's shoulders pulled back, until his hand pressed against the back of her head, tangling in pink tresses and gently pushing her forward. Sakura was spurned by his steady hand, and she met his lips with a sigh. Kakashi hesitated for a moment, then kissed her back with passion. She responded by turning her body until she was facing him and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. Her mouth opened and her tongue darted out, gently lapping at his lips. He opened his mouth in response, moaning as her tongue entered his mouth, hot and wet, darting around like an elegant snake.

Kakashi pushed forward with his body, cradling Sakura with both arms and gently pressing her to his body. He felt her stiff nipples through his shirt, and felt his pants tighten uncomfortably.

There was a loud cracking noise beneath the couple, and Kakashi found himself pulling away quickly, landing over Sakura with his hands braced on either side of her head. Sakura, sprawled on her back, looked up dazed at Kakashi, who stared in shock at her.

"Oops," she said after a moment. "I guess that log wasn't so solid after all." She giggled in embarrassment.

"I guess not," Kakashi replied, carefully pushing himself back on his knees so she could sit up. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Walk me home?"

"Of course," Kakashi said, carefully keeping the disappointment out of his voice. It seemed the mood had broken, but maybe he could salvage it for a nice goodnight kiss…


End file.
